Arched protective adhesive bandage



March 19, 1957 L R. STUMPF 2,785,677

ARCHED PROTECT IVE ADHESIVE BANDAGE' Filed May 4, 1955 i. LAWRENC' R. STUMPF, INVENTOR.

A TTORNE V.

United States Patent "ice ARCHED PROTECTIVE ADHESIVE BANDAGE Lawrence R. Stumpf, Los Angeles, Calif.

Application May 4, 1953, Serial No. 352,643

Claims. (Cl. 128-156) This invention relates to prepared bandages and more particularly to prepared protective bandages containing a cushioning or bridging element for physical protection of a wound.

While prepared bandages of various kinds are available in strip, piece or roll form, they are principally supplied for germicidal protection for a wound. In these forms, either plain sterilized or medicated, they are designed to provide a simple prefabricated bandage to place over a wound.

These prepared bandages generally consist of an adhesive strip with an intermediate area supplied with a sterile pad of gauze or the like. The outer ends of the adhesive strip are readily exposed for securing the bandage to the member requiring such treatment. Usually the central portion of the strip over the gauze is perforated for ventilation.

Whereas these prepared bandages do serve to cover and protect the wound from dirt and foreign matters, they very often tend to irritate the wound when in use, as a protective cover, due to relative motion between bandage and wound when bandaged member is flexed and aggravating the wound during the removal of the bandage. It is not uncommon to remove a protective scab from a wound during the removal process. In such cases the wound is required to congeal and repair these tissues again, lengthening the healing process of the wound. There is no provision made in these types of bandages to keep the bandage from adhering to the wound.

Also there is no provision made for physical protection of a wound, that is, protection from pressure or blows dealt to a bandaged area. Often a wound after being bandaged is rubbed or bumped up against objects, breaking open the wound, causing it to bleed and ultimately adhere to the bandage while clotting. In these instances the wound may also be reopened when the adhered portion of the bandage is torn from the wound.

Another disadvantage of the existing types of prepared bandages is that although they are usually perforated for ventilation of the wound, which is necessary for healing, the bandage is so closely overlying the wound or adhered to it by reason of a blood clot that circulation of air through the ventilation perforations is impossible and the healing process is delayed. Although many of these forms are supplied in waterproof adhesive strips, such as plastic, moisture may be readily absorbed through the edges of the gauze pad, and retained in the pad. Lack of proper ventilation prevents the moisture from evaporating, and healing of the wound is delayed.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the invention to provide a prefabricated or prepared bandage which provides a centrally located sterile gauze and an adhesive strip for fastening the same and incorporating a rigid bridge to keep the gauze in spaced relationship to the wound.

An important object of the invention is to provide a protective bridge area to span the wound and protect it from injury from inadvertent blows or pressures.

2,785,677 Patented Mar. 19, 1957 Another object of this invention is to provide adequate ventilation for a wound.

These and other objects of this invention will be apparent from reference to the drawings and specification wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention in its preferred form.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the modification shown in Fig. 3.

Referring in detail to the drawings I have shown a prefabricated bandage 10 consisting of an elongate strip 11 and a centrally located bridge area 12. The strip or band 11 may be made of various flexible materials such as cloth or plastic, with an adhesive coating on the underside thereof. The central bridge portion 12 comprises a substantially rigid, arched member 13 preferably of the same width as the strip 11, forming a transverse channel, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, for free circulation of air between the bandage and bandaged member. The arch 13 may be formed of soft material rigidly formed that resists deformation, such as hard felt, rubber, plastic or the like. It is preferred to have the arch of such material as to protect the wounded area from a slight bump or abrasion, but not so hard or rigid as to press into the skin surrounding the wound from the force of the blow. The adhesive surface of the strip 11 preferably extends on the entire underside, and retains the arch in its central position.

A strip or pad of gauze or other bandaging material 14 is provided on the underside of the arch 13 and secured thereto, by adhesive material, or by extending the ends 15 of the gauze over the legs 16 of the arch and securing to the adhesive of the underside of the strip 11. The exposed outwardly extending areas 17 of the strip 11 are used to secure the bandage to a wounded member, in the conventional manner.

A liner 18 of thin material such as crinoline is provided on the underneath surface of the strip 11 to cover the adhesive surface. The liner is peeled ofi prior to use of the bandage and may be formed of a pair of overlapping strips of the crinoline for easy grasping to peel.

A plurality of apertures 19 are formed in the central bridge area, and extend through the strip 11 and the arch 13, providing ventilation to the gauze member 14.

It will be apparent to those familiar with this art that various sizes of bandages may be supplied, with various sizes and widths of arches to best protect a wound. To prevent the sterility of the bandage, it may be enclosed in an air-tight envelope (not shown), which forms no part of this invention.

To apply this type of bandage, the free inner ends of the liner 18 are grasped and pulled in opposite directions. The bandage is held over the wound and placed so the legs 16 of the arch 13 span the wound. With the arch and bandage in the proper position, the liner may be completely pulled away and discarded. The edges of the legs or areas 17 of the strip 11 are pressed to firmly adhere to the skin.

Another form of my invention is shown in Figs. 3 and 4 wherein the bandage 20 is formed of a strip 21 like strip 11, of a flexible material, with a centrally located bridge area 22. In this form the bridge area is formed by a dome-shaped protective member 23 of material consistent with arch 13. The dome 23 may be held in place by the adhesive on the underside of strip 21. A complementary pad of gauze is provided on the underside of the dome 23, and held in place similarly to pad 14. A

between the wound and theagauze pad 14, 24 so slight deformation of the arch 13 or dome 23 may beaccomplished without injuring the wound. Also in both forms improved means on ventilation to this clearance areais provided, resulting in Shortening the congealing and healing time. As is well known, a woundexposed to the air will heal much faster than one tightly covered. Prefer: ably all ventilation apertures extend only through the adhesive strip and the bridge, allowing the gauze to filter the dirt or dust encountered throughthe top. The arched form described may be understood as more useful on a wound that has already formeda sc-ab, whereas the domeshaped bridge will provide a better protection from dust.

My description in specific detail of preferred embodi- V rnents of the invention will suggest to those skilled in the art various changes, substitutions and other departures from my disclosure that properly lie within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

claim: 7

l. A bandage for a wound or the like comprising a relatively thin elongate flexible strip of materialwith an adhesive undercoat covering and extending on each side of a substantially rigid, arched member centrally located thereof, a pad of gauze attached to the underside thereof, and a liner extending the full underside of the aggregate, said arched member and strip being provided with ventilating apertures.

2. A bandage according to claim 1 wherein said arched member forms a transverse channel for free circulation of air between the bandage and the bandaged member.

3. A bandage according to claim 1 wherein said arched member is sufliciently rigid to keep its arched form, but

flexible enough to give under pressure or force.

4. A bandage for a wound or the like comprising a relatively thin, elongate and flexible strip of material with an adhesive undercoat covering and extending on each side of a substantially rigid concave-convex member centrally located thereof, a pad of gauze or the like attached to the underside of said member, and a liner extending the full underside of the combination, said concave-convex member and said strip being provided with ventilating apertures.

5. A bandage for a wound or the like comprising a relatively thin, elongate and flexible strip of material with an adhesive under-coat covering and extending on each side of a substantially rigid dome-shaped member centrally located thereof, a pad of gauze or the like attached to the underside of said member, and a liner extending the full underside of the combination, said dome-shaped member and said strip having holes therethrough to provide ventilation to the upper surface of said gauze.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED 'STATES PATENTS 

